YMCA of Greater Boston Child Protection Policy
Commitment to Youth and Child Safety
We are proud and respectful of the trust parents place in our YMCA. A safe environment for children combined with quality programming is part of our focus on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Our Four Core Values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility are part of everything we do. We place great value on providing the most child-safe environment possible and creating an atmosphere where children thrive.
Know the Facts
We pledge to protect the children we serve—and we hope you will, too. Knowing about child sexual abuse can help us better understand what to look for and how to keep it from happening in the first place…
One in ten children will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. 90% of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser. 60% of child sexual abuse victims never tell anyone. These statistics (provided by Darkness to Light) are staggering and hard to read.
Let’s prevent it together. Learn the facts and how you can keep kids safe at Child Sexual Abuse Statistics – Darkness to Light (d2l.org).
Working Together For Safety
TALK to your child about his or her experiences in school, in sports, in YMCA programs, and in any other activities.
DROP IN on your child’s programs.
TRUST your instincts. Don’t wait to tell us if something seems “strange.” Speak up!
WATCH for warning signs of abuse: • Unexplained bruising or other physical markings • Disturbed sleeping or eating patterns • Abrupt changes in behavior-anxiety, clinging, aggressiveness, withdrawal, depression • Fear of a certain person or place • Discomfort with physical contact • A child who abuses other children
LISTEN AND WATCH for signs of your child receiving special attention that other children or teens are not receiving. This may include favors, treats, gifts, rides, increasing affection or time alone, particularly outside the activities of school, childcare, or other activities.
ASK your child these questions: • Is anyone scaring or threatening you? • Is anyone asking you to keep secrets? • Has anyone said anything to you to make you feel bad? • Is anyone touching you in a way that you don’t like?
Care You Can Count On – YMCA of Greater Boston Child Protection Policy
To keep children in our programs safe we take the following steps in our intensive screening of staff and volunteers:
- Detailed application forms
- Comprehensive interview process with behaviorally based questions
- Detailed reference checks with behaviorally based questions
- Criminal background and sex offender record checks
- Internet searches
- Social Security traces
- All staff members and volunteers must complete a child abuse prevention training program prior to beginning their employment. All staff members and volunteers are mandatory reporters of any suspicion of child abuse in accordance with MA State Law. All staff members and volunteers receive and sign an actionable code of conduct and a copy of the child abuse prevention policy.
- All staff members and volunteers must renew their child abuse prevention training annually, and additional trainings are required for those in supervisory roles.
- Child Protection policies are in place and enforced to ensure staff & volunteers are never alone with a child. In addition, we ensure that staff & volunteers do not develop relationships with children outside of our facilities and programs. Staff & volunteers are prohibited from being one-on-one with a child outside of the YMCA (i.e. babysitting). Parents are encouraged to express concerns to staff members in charge or a Program Director. All interactions with adults and children at our Y are designed to be observable and interruptible.
- All staff members and volunteers must reacknowledge the YMCA of Greater Boston Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct annually
- You do not need to have proof that abuse is occurring to make a report, only reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion means that you have witnessed maltreatment or boundary violations, either in the child or adult, or both. Or, you have received a disclosure from a child about abuse, neglect, or boundary violations towards them.
- Child sexual abuse reports should be made to the police and/or state child protective services.
- To report any concerns or violations witness anonymously, please visit report.syntrio.com/YGBListens or call 877-767-7781
- Praesidium accreditation is a rigorous, third party accreditation process that verifies an organizations commitment and implementation of the highest industry standards for abuse prevention helping them protect vulnerable individuals and build public trust. Through a systematic process of risk assessment, policy development, screening, training, and ongoing monitoring, Praesidium helps organizations create safer environments and demonstrates comprehensive dedication to preventing abuse
- At the YMCA of Greater Boston, we are committed to fostering a safe and respectful environment for ourselves, our colleagues, our members and participants, our partners, and our youth. We understand that safety is everyone’s responsibility and that each of us has a critical role to play in preventing abuse in our programs and at our facilities
- Visit cfchildren.org/resources/child-abuse-prevention/ to learn more and empower your child to report and refuse sexual abuse.
- Abuse Prevention Introduction
- Recognize Abuse and it’s Warning Signs
- How to Talk to Youth About Abuse
- How to Respond to Child Abuse
- 6 Key Questions a Parent Should Ask of a Camp
Contact
- If you have any concerns about how your child, or any other child is being treated in any YMCA of Greater Boston Program, please contact the Program Director, or Center Executive Director
- To report any concerns or violations witness anonymously, please visit report.syntrio.com/YGBListens or call 877-767-7781
- You can also contact our Risk Management Department at Risk@ymcaboston.org
